2018 CALENDAR

PENAFIEL, PORTUGAL

The municipality of Penafiel extends within an area of 212.2 square kilometers of mountains, valleys and rivers, which can be brought to fruition from various spots and places like the beautiful water plans arising from the Tâmega reservoir or the steep slopes of the Douro river.
Penafiel is the centre for therapeutic treatments and spas, highlighted by the Inatel of Entre-os-Rios and the Termas de São Vicente, one Roman Spa dated 315 AD. Both spas are famous for the hyper-mineralized waters, that include concentrated sulphurous and carbonaceous akline silicates and fluoridated water, considered the most alkaline among the sulphurous waters of Portugal and Europe, with temperatures about 18.5 °C (65.3 °F), advocated for the treatment of respiratory diseases and musculo-skeletal system ailments.
In the land of Sousa’s valley, Tâmega and Douro, in the heart of the North of Portugal, stands an important architectural heritage of Romanesque origin, common traits that carry legends and stories born with the foundation of the Nationality which witness the significant role that this territory formerly played in the history of nobility and religious orders in Portugal.
Tourism is influence by the staggering of religious and secular activities, but marked by special events throughout the year, particularly around the religious celebrations of Endoenças, at Entre-os-Rios, and São Martinho, at the city centre. This includes the literary festival Escritaria and the agricultural fair Agrival, which had its basis in the traditional medieval fairs.
In 2016, Penafiel was awarded with the Best Municipal Cultural Program of Portugal prize by the Portuguese Society of Authors (SPA) and was elected, among the region of Tâmega and Sousa, the best place to live and visit, according to a study by the international consultancy Bloom Consulting.
This interfluvial region has granite soils and is rich in water resources, allowing intensive agriculture and extractive industries.
The southwest